Fab boost for Arsenal as skipper Cesc is ahead of schedule in comeback from injury

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas hopes to resume training with a ball within the next 10 days as he steps up his recovery from injury.

The midfielder is ahead of schedule and has returned to England from Spain for the last stage of his rehabilitation after suffering a serious knee injury against Liverpool in December.

And Fabregas will return to Arsenal's training ground next week.

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Raring to go: Fabregas is looking forward to kicking a ball again

'Over the last couple of weeks I have been going up into the mountains to work and it's been hard but good for my muscles,' he said.

'I'm really happy with how it's going, it's looking good and hopefully in 10 days I can start to train with the ball, so it's going a bit quicker than I thought it would.

'I can't wait until I can touch the ball again, because it's about eight weeks since I've kicked a ball and I think that's the longest time of my whole life!'

'From this week, I will be back at the club, in the dressing room and around my team-mates, and I will see them going out to training, travelling to the games and that will make me jealous.

'It will give me more desire to get fit as quickly as possible so I can be in the team again.

'Over the last few weeks I have only thought of my injury, but now it's time for me to come back to the team. I am the captain and I have responsibilities. I have to be next to my team-mates even if I'm not playing.'